ShowMeBlog

Lying on the Internet, a Felony?

“A hearing today by the Senate Judiciary Committee reviewed expanding a law that could make lying on the internet a felony. In 1986 the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act was set into law to deter hacking. But throughout the decades, the legislation for the Computer Fraud Act has expanded to cover a wide range of issues, to make any act that "exceeds authorized access" to a computer, a violation. A violation is currently a misdemeanor, but the White House is looking to upgrade that penalty to a felony. What's worse, if you violate this Act, you're not just facing trouble from the feds but this law allows private parties to file civil suits as well.”

 

Chrome and Shockwave Flash Crashing

  I am having problems with Shockwave Flash and Chrome again today.  What in the heck is the problem with Chrome and Shockwave Flash plug in?  It seems like this happens often.
  
  I found the following on a site called Shockwave.  It is a bit old but I think it still is useful information.

Firefox 6.0

  I been using Chrome but I have Firefox and IE on my computer.  I use them from time to time just to see if they are working or need an update.
  I have had Firefox 6.0 ^beta  on my computer.  Today I ran it and it did two updates and it is no longer a beta.  So now I have Firefox 6.0 on m computer.

A day early, a sneak peek at Firefox 6.0

New YouTube design coming soon

  YouTube is working on a new look and design for YouTube. 

“With nearly 8 years of video uploaded and 3 billion views logged every day on YouTube, it’s clear you like to watch and share YouTube videos. While you’re watching your favorite or new videos, we at the ‘Tube are obsessing night and day over how those videos are presented. Our team is constantly experimenting, tweaking and playing with new ways to make your experience exactly what you’re looking for.
Today, we’d like to invite you to play along with us by participating in one of our latest TestTube experiments: Cosmic Panda. To take this experiment for a test drive go to http://www.youtube.com/cosmicpanda and click “Try it out!”
Once you're in the experiment, much of YouTube will look different, including videos, playlists and channels…”

FourSquare

  Just when you think you are out they pull you back in!  I blogged a few hours ago that I was going to stop using FourSquare and just use Google+ and then I get the following email from FourSquare:

“Hi Jim,

This year we've been hustling like crazy to make foursquare even better. We've launched tons of new features, and we're super excited to announce that there are now over 10,000,000 (!!!) people on foursquare!

Make sure to get the latest hotness!

the latest version of foursquare for your phone.

First off, thanks for believing in our little startup as we try to build an awesome service for you. You can tell your grandkids that you were one of the first ten million members of our community (you're member #1,791,011). They'll look at you in amazement as they cruise by on their hoverboards.
Second, we've been cranking away trying to make foursquare as amazing as possible. Lots more people, tips, and some big improvements and new features…”

  Oh my, oh my what am I going to do?

Charter Cable Billing

“Thanks for verifying Jim.  I’ve got that $35 service visit fee reversed so your new balance will be $62.23 with normal due date of 07/23.  If there’s anything we can do to assist you are always welcome to contact us here or @Charter on Twitter.

Abby Catron | Social Media Communications Specialist

941 Charter Commons Drive, Town & Country, MO 63017”

  I been blogging since 1982!  If you follow my blogging you know I blog about everything.  I blogged about people connecting to Howard’s Notebook over a phone line at 300 baud.  I blogged about the new 1200 baud modem when I got it.
  Some of you will remember me blogging about cable TV/Internet when it came to Kansas City area and how I had to wait until I could get high speed Internet and stop using dial up Internet.  The air conditioning was broke in my mobile home the day the cable guy came out and he hooked me up fast and got the hell out of there because it must have been over 120 degrees in the room I wanted the connection.
  Some of been reading my blog when I was in the Kansas City area, Orlando (FL), Carrollton (TX), Hillsboro (TX), Miami (FL) and now Fort Worth (TX).  I have had a dial up Internet.  I have had one way satellite Internet and two way satellite Internet.  I have had DSL Internet.  I have had different cable and have cable service now from Charter.

  I have Charter Cable now.  I have had a few problems.  That is normal.  But they have taken care of the problems and fixed them fast.
  On the 8th of this month I got my cable bill and there was a $35.00 charge for the tech that came out to fix my Internet problem.  See:  Charter Service Visit fee $35.00
  I was wondering why I should have to pay a service visit fee for that since it was clearly a problem in their box outside.  Well when I called it to their attention they took off the charge.  So they do not charge for something like that when it is their problem.
  So I am very happy with Charter Cable and I recommend them.
  Since the tech came out and fixed the wiring in their box we have had high speed Internet and no connection problems.  I am loving it.

Charter Service Visit fee $35.00

  Update:  07/10/2011
   “Thanks for verifying Jim.  I’ve got that $35 service visit fee reversed so your new balance will be $62.23 with normal due date of 07/23.  If there’s anything we can do to assist you are always welcome to contact us here or @Charter on Twitter.

 

 

 

Abby Catron | Social Media Communications Specialist

   As you can see from the above Charter has taken care of the $35 charge for me.  I am happy with Charter and can recommend their service, their billing and their support people monitoring Twitter and Facebook.

 

  I got my Charter bill today.  There was an extra $35.00 on the bill.  Making my bill $97.23 for the month.  I was waiting to see if they charged me for a service call.
  When I called them and told them we did not have any Internet or cable TV service they said there would be a $35.00 service call fee. 
  I was thinking that the service call fee would be if they came out and found the problem was something inside my house that I had done.  I did not expect to pay for a service call fee because of something that was the fault of Charter Cable.

  The repairman came out on June 23rd.  It is always like pulling teeth to get them to say much about what is the cause of the problem.
  After a couple of questions from me he said that out in the Charter box the wires had come loose from the connector in the box.  He said everyone else in the box was hooked up to a nice clean shinny connector but I had been hooked up to a connector that was all broken and falling apart and he said he replaced the connector and put in a new one.
  So when he left I did not think I would have to pay for a service call.

  Keep in mind also that we just moved into this apartment a few months ago and a Charter tech came out and she hooked us up.  That means that she had to have looked in the box and see a lot of nice connectors all nice and shiny and gleaming and she hooked me up to a piece of shit connector. 

  When I blogged about my Charter problem I had a couple of Charter employees leave a comment and email me and say if I had any problem to contact them.  I guess I will send off an email and see if I can get the to take off the $35.00 service charge.

  I wonder why they have a service charge in the first place?  It seems to me that if a customer has a problem getting Internet service, phone service or cable TV that they would be happy to send someone out to fix the problem.
  My guess is that they are trying to cut down calls that they get where when they come out they find someone does not have something plugged in or has done something to cause the problem.  I can understand that… I would hate to call for service and have a long delay in getting someone to fix a real problem because there techs are having to hand hold some is stupid.  On the other hand…the population is getting order… I am 70 and one of these day I might be one of those people does not know you have to plug the box into a working electrical outlet or does not know you need to put batteries in the remote control.
 
  Since the tech came out on June 23rd we have not lost the Internet.  Before that for weeks we were having lost of the Internet daily for a short period of time.  It was so bad we went out and spent over $100.00 on a new cable modem.
  Now I got to pay an extra $39.00 because of a faulty connector in the Charter box?

Leo Laporte–The Tech Guy 783

  Leo Laporte does an excellent little history of things and he is using Google+ and he talks about it.  This show is 1:51 but the first ten minutes you may want to watch it at least.

The Tech Guy for Saturday 2 July 2011 - Show 783
Host: Leo Laporte
Verizon going tiered, transferring VHS to DVD, configuring your router to use a proxy server, and your calls.
Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/ttg.
For detailed show notes, visit techguylabs.com.

Google+ Insane Demand

“The new social network by Google, Google+, made a beta launch last Wednesday evening. The launch was said to be very successful that they needed to shut down the invite program.

Google’s new social network is an exclusive site that not many have access to yet. Since it is made and designed by Google, people expect for it to be nothing less than great and spectacular. But the sad part is, not everyone can come inside Google+. Google has made it a point to limit the persons to have access and join Google+; just like an exclusive party, you’ll need to have an invite first before having access to get in.

Last Wednesday night, Google allowed current users of Google+ to invite whomever they wish. This is where all the mayhem started. Upon broadcasting this throughout the internet, many people started coming to the site in hoards. Then a few hours later, Google shut off the invite program because of this onslaught.

Vic Gundotra, social media head of Google, was the one who shut down the (invite) mechanism. He said, via his plus profile, that the demand of people to get inside Google+ was insane. He also said that they (the Google social media team) will need to do this kind of invite program again but more carefully than of the beta launch.

Just like any other site, there will be usually some loopholes. This is also what people are expecting from Google+. There are many websites posting different ways to get into the site, some are successful and some aren’t.

One loophole to get into Google+ is a procedure wherein an existing Google+ user will share a photo, link, message and etc. to a non-Google+ user by entering the email address. The non-Google+ user will receive a notification and can get in Google+ by clicking the link below the said notification.

There is also a waiting list that Google has established for people that want to get in Google+. For people that don’t want to get in using loopholes, this could be the one for you. Don’t expect to get in right away, there may be thousands or maybe millions already listed before you.

In this paragraph is the summary of the article. The invite program of Google+ was shut off just hours after it was introduced to people. According to reports, it was because of the large amounts of people coming to the site. After the said event happened, people are still trying to get in Google+ via loopholes; and these loopholes can be found in different website postings online.” 

   New Jersey News

 

  If you have access try that loop hole so I can get signed up.  Send me a link or photo. Use my Google email:   [email protected]

23.64 Mbps download

  It is so nice when the Internet works.  I had some problems but the cable tech came out and fixed the problem.  I keep looking over at the cable modem and am expecting to see a problem but it is working all the time.
  I just did a speed test at www.speedtest.net and I got 23.64 Mbps down and 1.48 Mbps up. 
 
  The speeds I am getting are excellent for me.  I do not need faster speed.  In fact I do not use much bandwidth.  Now I have no ide what my grandson is doing in his room.  My guess is that he is using a lot of bandwidth.

  It does suck that the United States is 12th in the world in Internet speed.  South Korea is number 1! 

  I can remember when I had to connect to bulletin board systems at 300 baud.  I have come a long way.  If you are interested in bulletin board systems check out BBS: The Documentary. 

  I am in “BBS: The Documentary” but if you blink you will miss me. 

The YouTube video below will give you a little idea of what the documentary video is like.  You will not see me in the video below.